What should I work on for my MP career?

[dusterdust]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. I joined because I'm aspiring to become an MP officer and thought you guys would be the ones to ask questions to. I'm just wondering what will help me with my application chances and future career goals with the CF. I don't have much experience with them, aside from 2 years of armour reserves.

Next year, I hope to be finishing up my 4 year degree in Criminology. Will this be useful? My minors are Psychology, French and English.
I am wondering as well wether or not I should put in the extra effort to double major in Psychology, or focus on getting more minors, like English, to have more diverse transcripts. Would the psych minor be just as useful?

As well, I'm a member of the university's security team, or campus police, on the weekends mostly. Is that applicable?
I'm a member of societies and I work 15 hours a week as one of the universities computer technicians. I am also debating as to whether or not I should tree plant for my 3rd year, or get a summer job in private policing (security).

I have talked to the recruiters, but they always refer me back to the website. So I suppose what I am searching for are actual career MP's, or anyone that can give me some advice on these issues and curiosities.

The RCMP is also an option for me, but something is telling me the CF might be more up my alley. Any general opinions of MP Officer as a career or personal anecdotes are welcome.

Any help is welcome, please feel free to add me to MSN if you have plenty of experience and don't mind giving a guy some advice.

Thanks,

Dustin

dusterdust@hotmail.com

 

[CombatMP265]

Well I can only speak from my experience in the reserves but here's my take.

Your education in Criminology is a plus. Seeing you did a minor in French assumingly means your bilingual. That will save you taking the language course which means it'll be faster till you reach your trades(MP) training. Don't worry about more minors, education wise you've enough. Your work experience show you've been busy which means if you can show your a good multitasker it'll benefit your chances.

I think there's some confusion about what a MP 'Officer' does. I don't know if your refering to a patrolman position or rather a Police Detachment Commander. MP Officers do not do patrols but rather deal with the administration of running the police detachment. Your experience in doing security work can give you some perspective and a bit of understanding on what you'll be running(to a small extent). But  its nothing like the RCMP alternative. 

I'm sure others can shed more light.

 

[tannerthehammer]

Don't waste your time with a security job...Do something fun that will make you some good cash...I think you would be fine with a Criminology degree and english and french minors but it definately wouldnt hurt to have psych as your minor also...If your school has a student disciplinary panel I would try and get on it...Usually they are a volunteer position and looks great on a resume and gives you good experience...

Why is it that people tell you the CF is more "up your alley" vs RCMP?

 

[dusterdust]

I mean a psych major, instead of just a minor. Like having 2 majors.

 

[tannerthehammer]

I mean a psych major, instead of just a minor. Like having 2 majors.

If you are going to go with another major I would try something different like a humanity or a science.  But if you like psych go with that.  I don't think whether you have a major or a minor in it is going to make much of a difference considering the rest of your education.

 

[medaid]

Okay. First of all, you have to be clear, do you want to be an Military Police NCM or Militar Police Officer, because those are TWO different things. The bulk of the patrol work is handled by the MP. These MPs are Non-Comissioned Members of the Canadian Forces. They hold the majority of experience when it comes to field investigative work, patrol and other things that civi police members do. NOW. An MPO which is a Commissione Officer of the Canadian Forces, handle mostly administrative things. These include serious crimes investigations along with the RCMP, NIS, CSIS when it comes to security. SO. If you want the applicable FIELD work, go and be an NCM, an MP. If you want to be more involved in investigative services, and leadership aspects, then go and be an MPO. Here's another suggestion. USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION. Also, SPEAK TO A RECRUITER. The reason for those two suggestions is because most if not all things that you have just asked  have been beaten to death on the boards. Another things if you go and visit your local Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre, they can answer and questions that you may have, and maybe able to help you decide what it is that you would be more interested in doing.

 

[mckee19]

i dont know if he meant it this way when he said it,  but it does say in the opening line that he wants to be a "MP OFFICER"
he also says he has talked to recruiters but they keep reffering him back to the website, which i can say dosnt offer indepth answers to alot of questions one might have. All he is doing is asking for some advice from others.

As for it being beaten to death in other threads maybe so, but cut him some slack he has a few questions which other threads would not have answered clearly.

 

[medaid]

not really clear, because I can say I want to be a police officer. Does that imply automatically that I want to be a member or an officer in the said police force? well that's an obvious question, because you HAVE to be a sworn member prior to even being considered to be an officer in any police force in Canada. For a civi walking off the street merely saying 'I want to be a Military Police Officer' I automatically think, well which one do you want to do exactly? NCM or Officer? Like I have explained, they do two different things and that they are two different application processes.

As to the questions. Most questions with regards to education, recruiting and specific trades have ALL been answered more then once. OVER and OVER and OVER again. They have been locked, and re-locked because people DO NO READ OR SEARCH. It is causing great grief on the system's bandwith with all these repeated threads. Also, slack was cut, I just offered some suggestions.

 

[SABOT]

Come on now.  You know that they are only posting to fill their egos.  It is their lust for power and to prove to everyone else how great they think they are.  Instead of reading, they want to be fed directly from the tit.  They think of only their own personal problems, and don't dream that someone has had the same questions in the past, they are so full of themselves.  Cripes.  Why else would they all be thinking of being in places where they could abuse their power, be it as an officer, or a policeman? 

I once heard that there were only a couple of Trades open for those who scored too low on the CFAT, and one of them was musician.  Quess what the other one was?  Archie Bunker's son-in-law.

 

[dusterdust]

I wasn't posting to fill my ego? I don't know how I would be doing that? I'm not entirely sure how saying I want to be an MP on a forum for MP's would give myself an ego boost. I've read the sites, talked to people who have been on MP courses, spent some time in the reserves, talked to the recruiters. I just thought to myself, well I still have a few tailored questions, I want some actual info from an ACTUAL MP. Then I found this forum, and joined up to ask some questions. I'm sorry I didn't mean to be annoying, but I thought this might be one of the reasons of this forum. I have read almost every other post in the section of the forum, didn't get all my questions answered.

 

[medaid]

Come on now.  You know that they are only posting to fill their egos.  It is their lust for power and to prove to everyone else how great they think they are.  Instead of reading, they want to be fed directly from the tit.  They think of only their own personal problems, and don't dream that someone has had the same questions in the past, they are so full of themselves.  Cripes.  Why else would they all be thinking of being in places where they could abuse their power, be it as an officer, or a policeman? 

I once heard that there were only a couple of Trades open for those who scored too low on the CFAT, and one of them was musician.  Quess what the other one was?  Archie Bunker's son-in-law.

okay... that unfortunately in my point of has overstepped some boundaries. I definetly dont think that individuals who want to be MPs or MPOs are in anyway egotistical powertripping weirdos. Your comments are really really uncalled for. Personal insults are NOT allowed, you should know that by now.

I wasn't posting to fill my ego? I don't know how I would be doing that? I'm not entirely sure how saying I want to be an MP on a forum for MP's would give myself an ego boost. I've read the sites, talked to people who have been on MP courses, spent some time in the reserves, talked to the recruiters. I just thought to myself, well I still have a few tailored questions, I want some actual info from an ACTUAL MP. Then I found this forum, and joined up to ask some questions. I'm sorry I didn't mean to be annoying, but I thought this might be one of the reasons of this forum. I have read almost every other post in the section of the forum, didn't get all my questions answered.

dusterdust, if my original posts have sparked that last post, which in turn have insulted you, I apologize. I do however, stand by my points, and I feel for you when you cant get the answers you need fromy our local CFRC. Another thing, fill out your profile, you said you had some time with PRes, so, fill in your appropriate info. Still I'm confused as to what you want to do, MPO or MP?

 

[dusterdust]

MPO. I was with a Reserve Armoured Unit out of the Maritimes.

 

[medaid]

Okay, MPO.

Degree in Criminology
              Psychology
              Sociology

or anything else basically anything.... as long as its appicable. So, social sciences

In my honest opinion, you should've stuck with the reserves. Security work on a campus... well not really good. If you want to go the secruity with retail, ie. do something like LPO.

 

[garb811]

Yikes...

I've sent a PM to Watchdog-81 to look at this train-wreck and offer some advice ref the MPO world if he so wishes...

But in the meantime:

MedTech:

In the MP world, "Administrative things" do NOT include serious crimes investigations or the provision of anything other than "Administrative things".  Although MPO do fill a small number of investigative positions, the vast majority of MPO sit at a desk doing "Administrative things"...at least that's what I think they do in their offices with the doors closed.   Most police work (of all levels of seriousness) is conducted by MP of the rank of Sgt and below.  Also, Canadian doctrine defines more than officers as "leaders" with leadership roles, hence the Primary Leadership Qualification, Intermediate Leadership Qualification and Advanced Leadership Qualification...see a theme here?  Telling someone they need to be an officer to pursue a leadership role isn't on.

dusterdust:

The email in your profile indicates you are in Fredericton.  If so, CFB Gagetown is just down the road.  If you haven't already done so, call 422-2000 and ask for the Military Police.  Explain that you are interested in a career as a MPO and ask to go out and visit the Detachment.  The MPO and MP there should be more than happy to show you around, sit down and talk with you and answer any questions you may have about the Branch.

From what I can see, what you're doing should put you in competition with others who apply and campus cop experience is equivalent to any other security position, at least in my professional opinion.  Unfortunately there is usually an extremely small number of applicants accepted off the street each year so expect a tough fight.

 

[CombatMP265]

Not to derail the thread, but the last Reg Force MPOC that went through had 5 Officers who CFR'd and 10 "off the street".

 

[WATCHDOG-81]

MP 00161, thanks for the invite...it appears that there is a bit of frustration in dealing with this one.  However, I don't see what the fuss is all about.

First things first.  Insofar as degree programs are concerned, make sure you follow a program that interests you.  There is no sense in spending 4 years of your life doing something that you do not enjoy just for employment.  Yes, there are programs that are more suited to the working environment of an MPO, such as criminology, law, psychology, however, other programs are accepted as well.  One of the current MPO candidates on course who graduates this Friday has an engineering degree from RMC.

Not knowing your exact aspirations, I would suggest that you speak with the MPO in Gagetown.  He will be more than happy to provide you with a realistic job preview.  Perhaps it is employment as an NCM that you actually aspire to.  During the past 7 years there have been a number of individuals who joined as Officers when they actually aspired to the career of MP NCM.  We, as a Branch are still dealing with misinformation at the intake level.

Feel free to PM me if you would like specifics or contact info.

Best regards 

 

[medaid]

MedTech:

In the MP world, "Administrative things" do NOT include serious crimes investigations or the provision of anything other than "Administrative things".  Although MPO do fill a small number of investigative positions, the vast majority of MPO sit at a desk doing "Administrative things"...at least that's what I think they do in their offices with the doors closed.   Most police work (of all levels of seriousness) is conducted by MP of the rank of Sgt and below.  Also, Canadian doctrine defines more than officers as "leaders" with leadership roles, hence the Primary Leadership Qualification, Intermediate Leadership Qualification and Advanced Leadership Qualification...see a theme here?  Telling someone they need to be an officer to pursue a leadership role isn't on.

yes yes 'administrative things' indeed I sometimes wander what I do behind closed doors in my office  . Anywho, please rest assured that I, in NO WAY, am advocating or hintting at leadership only being in the officer ranks. I KNOW for a FACT, (been on both sides of the line) that leadership exists in both NCM and Officer ranks. Also, thanks for clearing it up with regards to investigative work though I really thought that some investigative roles in serious crimes were filled by officers  :. *sigh* once again proving that the NCMs get all the fun stuff  ;D

 

[WATCHDOG-81]

MedTech,

There are officers investigating serious investigations.  I believe that the point trying to be made is that conducting investigations is not an administrative activity.

 

[dusterdust]

Watchdog,

I'm actually done 3 of my 4 years of my degree, I will have a major in Crim, but the question being posed was whether or not it would be worth it to DOUBLE major, in psych. I'm a minor of French already and I'm biligual (I don't know if that will help). It would be a lot more effort on my part right now to DOUBLE major, so I think I'll just get a few minors instead.

I would prefer Office/Administrative roles, provided I would, in my career be able to participate in exercises and not just have to wait for elock to fire weapons once a year. I'm not looking to work in the field as much. Maybe dealing with intelligence information or NIS. I don't want to take too much of anyone's time, so don't feel compelled to exhaust yourselves responding to my ramblings. I don't have a vehicle at the moment, so going and speaking with the MPO isn't in the cards right now. You guys have been great to this point, and I thank you for all the help you've given, and any future info you provide me.

MSN: dusterdust@hotmail.com

If anyone uses MSN and has some spare time, feel free to add me.

Cheers,

Dustin

 

[WATCHDOG-81]

dusterdust,

Your current degree program sounds just fine.  By the sounds of it, MPO would be the best option for you.  The job is more managerial/administrative in nature than that of an MP NCM, however, there are many opportunities to get your boots on the ground and your hands dirty...lots of fun.  There have been a lot of changes in recent years and more are in the works which will open many more opportunites for both NCMs and Officers in the Branch.